INNISFAIL - The recent announcement by Calgary-based Queer Citizens United to ban UCP members from 2024 Pride events was not signed by Innisfail Pride as the executive committee was uncomfortable with its wording.
On May 17, Queer Citizens United released a statement on its Facebook page, co-signed by 14 provincial Pride organizations, that it was not allowing participation of the UCP, including the party’s entire caucus, in this year’s celebrations.
The statement said the measure was being made in direct response to Premier Danielle Smith’s “stated intention” to infringe on the rights, freedoms and healthcare of the transgender community in Alberta.
However, Innisfail Pride is continuing with its own policy against Alberta’s governing party; one that has already gone at least part of the way with the one put forward by Queer Citizens United.
“For the last couple of years, we actually have had a policy in place with the stance of the UCP, that we would not directly invite them to any of our events to speak as we had feedback from our community that they were not comfortable,” said Dale Dunham, chair of Innisfail Pride. “And they did not feel that they were safe in that space with any political dialogue with the UCP or having them attend the event.”
Dunham, a popular community builder in Innisfail, is also the municipality’s first openly gay citizen elected to town council.
“Our policy is based on community feedback,” said Dunham. “We have not outright banned them from our space. So, if a UCP member was to show up, and they were to abide by our regulations and not be confrontational or cause any issues, then they are welcome in the space as our policy stands.”
He added that while Innisfail Pride and its members are “continually advocating” for equal rights, notably ensuring trans lives are protected, along with LGBTQA youth and spaces, it was decided early by the organization it would work best to bridge gaps within the community and be educational and not adversarial.
“We have always felt that although we bring speakers and organizations to town to talk about microaggressions, trans rights and domestic violence we most definitely lean more towards trying to bridge the community and make sure everybody understands where we are, who we are, and how we can work together to better our community,” said Dunham.
As for Queer Citizens United, Dunham said Innisfail Pride has never been a member but is in regular contact with the group and many other like-minded organizations across the province.
He said there is continuing dialogue on many Pride-related issues, events and fundraisers that are ongoing across the province.
“The dialogue is not just around politics specifically. It's around everything to do with the LGBTQA community in Alberta,” said Dunham.
He told the Albertan that when the UCP banning issue came to his attention he put it in front of Innisfail Pride’s executive committee.
“And it happened so quickly that we were in the middle of discussion and the consensus was that we did not want to add our name as a signatory as it was worded,” said Dunham, adding he could not discuss Innisfail Pride’s reasoning behind its objection to the wording as it’s deemed privileged information among executive members.
“And then they had released it (statement), and then from there we as an executive didn't have an opportunity to vote on it because they'd already put out the statement and they had their signatories behind it.
“That does not mean that we are on the outside or we're not still working with them,” he said. “It just means in this one instance we were not comfortable with the wording and will continue to work with all these other organizations to make sure that our positions is known in Alberta and that we make every effort.”
This year’s two-day fourth annual Innisfail Pride celebration is being held June 21 and 22.
On May 27, Innisfail town council passed a motion, which was read by Dunham, to designate June as Pride month in the Town of Innisfail.
